Spelling 

 
Sitton Spelling
In Cobb County, we use the Rebecca Sitton Spelling program.  This program teaches students to spell high frequency words (words that are the most commonly used in writing.) In first grade there are 35 core words which will be practiced and revisited throughout the year.  They will become our "No Excuses" words for first grade and need to be spelled correctly on all assignments after they are introduced. The 35 core first grade words are:


the
of
and
a
to
in
is
you
that
it
he
for
was
on
are
as
with
his
they
at
be
this
from
I
have
or
by
one
had
not
but
what
all
were
when


 
Working with Words
During our daily Working with Words block, children will learn to read and spell high-frequency words and the patterns that allow them to decode and spell lots of other words. 

The first ten minutes of our block each day are given to "doing" the Word Wall words. Each week five new words will be added to our Word Wall. An updated Word Wall will be provided about once a month in your child's message folder.  Decoding and spelling abilities will be enhanced as children chant, write, and check these words.  On-the-Back activities help students expand these word wall words by adding endings, making rhyming words or solving "Be a Mind Reader" riddles.

The second twenty minutes of the Word Block each day focuses on decoding and spelling activities.  Students learn about patterns in words through activities such as : Making Words, Guess the Covered Words, Changing a Hen to a Fox, Rounding Up the Rhymes, and Reading/Writing Rhymes.

A word wall test will be given each Friday.  This test will have three parts:  this week's 5 word wall words dictated with a sample sentence, 5 words that relate to this week's words (rhymes, endings added...), and one dictation sentence which utilizes the present word wall words, words that use the same spelling pattern and/or word wall words previously practiced. Points will be given for capitalization, punctuation, handwriting and neatness.